Gingerly walking, with her black, sexy dress, her shoulder length dark hair, grayish blue eyes, with the glass of martini in her hand, trying to hold on to her little jeweled purse which was hanging from her shoulder with its gold chain; her dress kept catching under the heel of her shoes, turned all eyes, men or woman, on her! However every man with or without a woman by his side was mesmerized by this beautiful, sexy, tall, and mysterious woman except Jacob. His back was to her. His tuxedo Jacket was hanging on the back of his chair. He wondered why his friends were not paying attention to him and they all were looking to the other direction!
People who knew Helen before, they did not know her now! Was she the same blond girl, who always wore her hair in a pony tail, who always had sneakers on, who always wore jeans and a sweater or a tee shirt if it was warm? This night, she was the best dressed woman if they would put it for vote! Her short, dark hair, her grayish blue eyes, her sexy dress, which was not very open, yet revealing, and the way she walked, attracted both men and women. No one knew that she walked that way because she was afraid to fall. Every woman envied her, every men wanted her; but she wanted Jacob!
When she was finally at Jacob's table, she touched his shoulder. He was the only one that had not noticed her. He was deep in a conversation with his friends about something that they were not listening. They were all surprised that she had come to their table and had touched Jacob's shoulder!
He turned around from the touch. He was puzzled! "Who is she? What a beautiful woman? I know her, but I don't remember!" Helen could read his thoughts. Jacob's friends were all looking at them; at the startled look of Jacob and playful smile of Helen! Finally she said:
"You know me! That is what you're thinking now!"
Jacob shook his head! "You're right! I know that I know you, but ..."
He became silent and prolonged his look at her, still perplexed!
"You haven't changed, Jacob! I recognized you right away!" Then she added with a visible sadness:
"Think, you'll remember. I walk away if you don't!"
The great gulf of memory from her girlhood, the travel she had had with him from Chicago to Dallas, the days of sleeping in shelter, and working at the same grocery store, all crowded down on her. Now that she was standing there, feeling uncomfortable with all eyes on her, desiring this man from past, an utter stranger at the moment, she felt that she had no identity! She felt distressed with her high heels, a glass of martini in her hand, her long dress so tight at waist that she could not breathe, and so long that the bottom of it had torn catching under her heels! She decided that she was going to leave and go home. She thought that coming to the party and coming to this table were both mistakes!!
To Be Continued
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